Filing device.



. OHATHAM FILING DEVICE" APPLICATION FILED FEB. s. 1914.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.;

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RALPH M. CHATHAM, OF ORLEANS, INDIANAa FILING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

Application filed February 6, 1914. Serial No. 816,951.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH M. CHATHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Orleans, in the county of Orange and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filing Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to filing devices and more particularly to those for use in banks for the filing of paid checks, deposit tickets, etc., received by the tellers, and has for one of its objects the construction of a device whereby the checks, etc., may be filed therespecification,

in in alphabetical order that the papers may be properly sorted at the close of the day.

A further object of this invention resides in the construction of the leaves, forming a part thereof, for overlapping each other with sufficient weight to securely retain the papers placed therein.

A still further object of this invention resides in the provision of means arranged upon the leaves in a manner to permit the ready insertion of or removal of certain of the papers therein without disturbing the others. And a still,further object of this invention resides in the provision of a filing device of few parts and simple in construction, durable and efficient for the purpose and which may be manufactured and sold upon the-market at a nominal cost.

These and other objects will more fully appear and the nature of the invention be more clearly understood by the construction, combination and arrangement of the parts thereof, as described in the following defined in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my invention, showing the same with its leaves in folded position and a check or other paper arranged between two of the leaves. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of Fig. 1, showing the manner of mounting the leaves within the filing device. certain of the leaves being shown in folded position and other of the leaves in elevated position, and, Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

looking in the direction of the elevated leaves.

Similar reference "characters denote like parts throughout the several views of the drawings, and in which 1 denotes the bottom of the filing device, which device is preferably formed of sheet metal, and is provided with upwardly, outwardly and downwardly bent side edges to provide the side walls 2, approximately of inverted U- shape in cross section. the body portion are formed of a strip of metal bent approximately in a U-shape, in cross-section and said bent strip is secured upon the extended portion of the bottom 1 in an inverted position. A portion of the downwardly bent part of the side walls extend past the end walls and serve as a closure therefor. Arranged upon the bottom 1 at the under side and adjacent each of the corners thereof, are the convexed surfaced feet or glides 4, the glides being formed of any suitable substance and configuration for preventing the marring or scratching of the table or desk, upon which the same is placed. Arranged within the side walls 2 and in longitudinal alinement with each other, are the series of apertures 5, these apertures being also positioned at a point upon the side walls'slightly removed from the bottom 1 of the filing device, the apertures within the opposed side walls 2 being oppositely disposed to each other. Extending transversely of the filing device are the rods or wires 6, the ends of which are rotatably mounted within each, pair of the oppositely disposed apertures. The downwardly extending portion of the side walls 2 serve as a locking means to retain the rods 6 within the apertures 5.

Transversely disposed between the walls 2 are a plurality of leaves 8, one portion of which is bent in a right angular direction, as at 9, to provide the bottom 10, the free end of which is bent to form the tubular member 11, through which the rod 6 is adapted to pass for hingedly mounting the leaves 8 in spaced relation within the filing device. The angular-1y bent portion 9 of the leaves 8 are bent slightly acute, thus providing the edge 9 adapted to rest upon the bottom 1 for supporting the leaves 8 in a slightly oblique direction, when in elevated position, the bent portion being of proper length to raise the leaf 8 slightly above the The'end walls 3 of edges of the body portion, when said leaves are disposed in normal position.

The upper edge of each of the leaves 8 is provided with an indented finger grip 12, providing means for permitting the ready insertion of'a finger beneath the same for manipulating the leaves 8, and upon the forward faces or convex portion of the finger grips 8 is a letter, as at 13, for designating the leaves between which the checks or papers are to be inserted, the papers being shown nested between the leaves, as at 1 1.

The leaves are positioned to normally lie flat upon each other for a portion of their length, and extending in series and in consecutive order in a direction approximately the length of the filing device. The hinge portion 6 of the rearmost leaf 8 being at a point somewhat remote from the rear end 3 provides the compartment 15, which compartment may be used for any miscellaneous or other matter, the leaf 8 adjacent the compartment 15 providing a cover therefor.

It may be here stated that the use and operation of my device is clearly obvious from the description and the drawings of the same, however, I deem it expedient to here further state that my filing device is a primarily designed for use in banks for the ready filing of the paid checks, deposit tickets, etc, received by the teller during the day, and for conveniently arranging the papers in alphabetical order therein as the same are received, so that at the close of the day the papers will be properly sorted and not in the confused condition as the same would be upon filing upon the usual filing pin or wire commonly employed. My device may be made of any desired material, but I prefer to construct the same of light sheet metal, as the same is lighter and more papers of various lengths durable, and by constructing'the leaves, between which the papers are designed to be filed, so that they will be slightly elevated above the upper plane ofthe side walls of the filing device I am enabled to place therebetween in a convenient manner and without the necessity of folding the papers on account of their length.

While I have shown and described the secutively preferred form of my invention, I hereby reserve the right to make such variations and alterations therein as I may deem expedient from time to time and which will not depart from the spirit of this invention or conflict with the scope of the claims.

VVhat I claim as new is:

1. A device of the class described, comprising a body portion having a plurality of apertures through the upwardly extending portion of the side walls thereof; a plurality of transversely disposed hinge rods rotatably mounted in the said apertures in the side walls of the said body portion, and held in the said apertures by the depending part of the said side walls, and a pluralityiw of transversely disposed and consecutively arranged, overlapping leaves, hingedly mounted within said body upon the said hinge rods.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a body portion, and a plurality of transversely disposed and consecutively arranged, overlapping leaves, hingedly mounted within said body portion, said leaves be ing angularly bent adjacent their hinged ends, whereby the said leaves are raised slightly above the top edge of the said body portion when saidleaves are in their normal position.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a body portion; glides arranged upon the bottom of said body portion; a plurality of transversely disposed and conarranged, overlapping leaves, hingedly mounted within said body portion, said leaves being angularly bent adjacent their hinged end, whereby a compartment is formed at the rear end of the body portion and a closure provided therefor and the said leaves are raised slightly above the top edge of the said body portion when said leavds are in their normal position, said leaves being formed to provide gripping membens thereon for manipulating the same.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RALPH M. CHATHAM.

Witnesses:

VINFRED I-I. PHILLIPS, OSCAR STANDEFORD. 

